Electronics > Beginners
EE Pros: Is RPN still relevant?
eugenenine:
--- Quote from: rstofer on March 06, 2017, 07:54:53 pm ---
For the last month, I have been playing with wxMaxima on a PC and it is terrific! No calculator will ever compare to this CAS (Computer Algebra System) with a 27" screen. About this, I am an evangelist! I believe!
Not all that many people actually need a CAS in their everyday lives. Those who work in tech probably do but they are probably already using such a thing. Everybody in a college STEM program needs something. I just use the calculators for grunt number crunching.
--- End quote ---
I grabbed the slackbuilds for this the other day, I just need to find a good tutorial on getting started
rstofer:
--- Quote from: eugenenine on March 06, 2017, 07:57:03 pm ---
--- Quote from: rstofer on March 06, 2017, 07:54:53 pm ---
For the last month, I have been playing with wxMaxima on a PC and it is terrific! No calculator will ever compare to this CAS (Computer Algebra System) with a 27" screen. About this, I am an evangelist! I believe!
Not all that many people actually need a CAS in their everyday lives. Those who work in tech probably do but they are probably already using such a thing. Everybody in a college STEM program needs something. I just use the calculators for grunt number crunching.
--- End quote ---
I grabbed the slackbuilds for this the other day, I just need to find a good tutorial on getting started
--- End quote ---
If you are asking about wxMaxima, there are two great books that have terrific examples specifically related to wxMaxima for Calculus. It's simple enough to just take the ideas and put them to use in other areas.
https://wxmaximafor.wordpress.com/
The User Manual is online but it doesn't seem terribly approachable. It is great as a reference, not so much as a tutorial.
I have attached the code for a "Ball Thrown In Air" physics problem. The gravitational constant shows clearly that the experiment wasn't done on Earth. The two graphs are included. If you want, just retype the code and see how it works out. I get most of my education by copying.
It is worth noting that the entire problem is contained in lines 2..6. Everything else is just gilding a lily.
Line 2 defines the gravitational constant
Line 3 defines the initial velocity
Line 4 describes the standard equation for motion: H(t)=V0t+1/2at2
Line 5 takes the derivative of the function in Line 4 to get v(t), the velocity as a function of time. Note that wxMaxima does the derivative, I didn't have to provide it.
Line 6 finds the time when the ball impacts the ground by looking for the second root (away from 0) for the H(t) equation. In other words, where H(t) = 0 with t <> 0.
That's it!
frozenfrogz:
OT: I love how these threads always have a tendency to end up deep in nerd territory :-+
Please go on!
bitseeker:
--- Quote from: eugenenine on March 04, 2017, 12:59:23 am ---I used to get magazines from the library with ads for hp calculators, it was like playboys for nerds.
I graduated high school and then 48sx was released and I worked and saved months for it and finally saved up the $300 and bought it from a store called service merchandise. It was under glass like in a jewelry store so I made my purchase then went to the waiting room where the product you bought came out on a belt like luggage in the airport. I almost cried when that little box finally came down the belt for me.
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Holy smokes, that might've been where I bought my 28S back in the day. Been using RPN ever since, even for simple calculations. As someone else posted, Free42 works a treat. Or if you want the HP look, Droid48.
I haven't used my 28S in ages. Perhaps I'll hunt down some N-size NiMH rechargeable batteries (it uses three cells).
Vtile:
--- Quote from: eugenenine on March 06, 2017, 07:47:13 pm ---
--- Quote from: jakeisprobably on March 06, 2017, 06:15:55 am ---
--- Quote from: xrunner on March 06, 2017, 02:37:35 am ---I was browsing Ebay and just for the fun of it searched for the HP 42S (which I still have). They are going for over $200!
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...thus the real reason for starting this thread... I saw how much people were selling RPN calculators for on eBay and figured I was missing something here.... Too many YT cool kids are playing with them. I wanted to know why. This thread is awesome. Thanks ;)
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Most anything retro si in now. Do a search for Commodore or Amiga or even Atari and you'll see the same high prices.
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Vintage Casios run for $1 a piece. ::) >:D
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